By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—It was an endless flow of tears from Catholic faithful as late Rev. Fr. Dr. Dennis Osuagwu, who was assassinated on August 15, was laid to rest, weekend.

The remains of the Obowo-born Claretian priest was removed from the Holy Rosary Hospital morgue, Emekuku, Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State, and moved in a motorcade to the Claretian Institute of Philosophy, Maryland, Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, for a Pontifical requiem mass that preceded the interment.

Scores of Catholic priests from within and outside the state, including the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, fully participated in the solemn event.

Archbishop Obinna urged the family of the late priest to take solace in God, as their beloved son died doing God’s work.

Although the Catholic cleric described the act of the assassins as “devilish, ungodly, reprehensible, despicable and condemnable in every sense,” he, however, prayed God to forgive the assassins and bring them to repentance.

Some of the priests who spoke to Vanguard were of the view that the security agencies should do everything possible to apprehend the assassins walking the streets free.

They said the killers were assassins, especially as the yet-to-be identified hoodlums dragged the priest out of his car and killed him, leaving the entire content of his vehicle intact.

The assassinated Catholic cleric hailed from Obowo Local Government Area of the state and was a lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Ohaji.

Fr. Osuagwu was also the Director, Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, SIWES, in the institution before his death.